We both look up at the same time. |The helicopter is approaching, but the trees are dense around us, and they will probably not see us here.
“We have to move. We have to go back to where the trees were fewer.”
“Okay, go! You tell them where I am.” Aspen shoves at my leg, urging me on.
Pushing myself up with my good arm, I stand. Immediately, a dizzy spell catches me off guard. I must be losing more blood than I thought. Even with my mind clouded by pain, I know I can’t leave her here. They will not come back for her.
Ignoring the sharp pain and blood loss, I bend down and pull Aspen off the ground.
“Q, what are you doing?”
Without answering her, I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder.
“We have to go.” I head back to the small clearing we passed a short while ago.
The sound of the helicopter propellers is getting further away, but I’m hoping they are circling back around, giving us enough time to get to the clearing. With each step, I feel like I’m getting weaker, my legs more unsteady, and my vision blurs. I push through all of it, knowing that if I give up now, there will be no hope.
“Quinton, put me down. You’re not going to make it carrying me.” Her voice is trembling, and her hands are grabbing my jacket at my back.
“I can make it,” I assure her, even though I don’t know for sure. All I know is that it’s both of us or no one.
The helicopter seems to get closer again. I pick up speed even though my legs protest it. I push through the pain and exhaustion until we finally make it to the clearing.
Not even two steps in, I finally collapse on the ground. Aspen yelps out in pain before crawling off my back and rolling me over.
“Quinton? Quinton! Oh my god. Stay with me!” Tears stream down Aspen’s beautiful face, and I don’t understand why she’s crying. We’ve made it. She should be happy. “Don’t you fucking die on me now!” She presses her hands down on my arm, pain shooting up my shoulder before my body goes numb.
I want to tell her I’m fine, but my tongue feels heavy in my mouth. Just as heavy as my eyelids feel.
I wake up in the sky and see the helicopter hovering right above us. Its propellers projecting icy winds toward us. The cold pricks my skin painfully, but on the inside, I’m glad that they’re here because that means that Aspen is safe.
I did it, I saved her, and that’s the last thing on my mind before the world goes black.